8. Ancient bronze plate breaks auction records

"Xi Jia pan", a bronze plate from the Western Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-771 BC) was sold for 185 million yuan ($27.3 million) at Xiling Yinshe Auction's spring sale in July, which broke the auction records for antique art in China.

The plate is shallow and wide, measuring 11.7 centimeters high with a diameter of 47 cm, and it has two handles on its side. The interior of the plate is engraved with an inscription of 133 characters, which records the Western Zhou Dynasty's history, and provides valuable information for the study of this period. The plate, a bronze ware inscribed with the most characters ever found, is also the oldest national treasure among the bronze wares discovered thus far.